Join the Protect Democracy Team

At this time, Protect Democracy has decided to pause hiring for Counsel, Policy Advocate, Policy Analyst, and Communications and Advocacy Strategist for a number of factors, including the rapidly changing situation with COVID-19. We’re still accepting applications, but will pause on moving candidates forward in the process. Of course, if we have updates or news, we will post them here.

Protect Democracy is a cross-partisan team dedicated to preventing American democracy from declining into a more authoritarian form of government. We both defend our institutions and work to make real the full promise of our democracy by using the courts, legislatures, media, and every other tool available at the state and federal level.

✪ Protect Democracy Formed to Prevent American Democracy From Declining into a More Authoritarian Form of Government

Protect Democracy was founded in early 2017 by a group of former high-level executive branch officials who served in the White House Counsel’s Office and upper echelons of the Department of Justice and have unique knowledge of the norms that have constrained presidential power for decades and when those in power may be tempted to violate them. We have since assembled a cross-partisan staff of top-tier talent, backed by a group of some of the world’s leading experts who have studied how other democracies have declined in the 21st Century as advisers. Together with our Harvard Law School clinic, pro bono relationships with many of the country’s leading law firms, and an advisory board ranging from President Obama’s former Solicitor General to former Reagan White House officials, we have sought to protect and perfect our democratic institutions.

✪ Our Work Is Already Producing Impact

The volume and quality of our output has already led to numerous impactful wins, including but certainly not limited to:

We helped shut down the Pence-Kobach so-called Voter Integrity Commission;

We successfully challenged President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the Southern border in order to raid funds that Congress had not appropriated to build his border wall;

We have helped introduce and/or shepherd through the legislative process numerous reforms to harden the guardrails of our democracy, including the Article One Act; the Security from Political Interference in Justice Act; the No President Is Above the Law Act; and the Polling Access Security Act, and we worked with The New York Times to get all challengers for the presidency to go on the record in support of key reforms;

Our lawsuit forced the Justice Department to admit that its report linking immigrants to terrorism––used to justify the Travel Ban––was based on erroneous stats, prompting congressional oversight;

We forced Brian Kemp to resign as Secretary of State in GA so that he couldn’t oversee the vote count in the race in which he was a candidate, and established pathbreaking case law for 2020 and beyond that the Due Process Clause limits a candidate for office’s ability to use their government position overseeing their election to interfere in it;

We forced the release of the previously-sealed “Watergate Roadmap”, which is now serving as a blueprint for the House’s legal efforts to unseal grand jury evidence from the Mueller probe; and

The statement we helped organize from more than 1,000 former federal prosecutors and videos we helped produce explaining that any other American would have been prosecuted for the obstruction acts detailed in the Mueller Report have been viewed more than 12 million times and formed the basis of congressional hearings and direct questions of the President.

You can read all about our work here, of which Washington Post columnist Jennifer Rubin commented, “These guys are worth their weight in gold.”

✪ Join us!

We are recruiting staff of the highest caliber to help prevent our democracy from declining into a more authoritarian form of government.

Excellent candidates will share a deep commitment to this mission, be creative and entrepreneurial in conceiving strategies for achieving it, and be able to wholeheartedly embrace and embody our organizational culture principles. We are a team that values collaboration, constant feedback, excellence, efficiency, and integrity.

Commitment to a diverse workplace. Protect Democracy is an equal opportunity employer. Our culture principles emphasize that there is strength in diversity, as we believe diverse teams are more innovative, creative, and productive. Protect Democracy encourages applications from all qualified individuals without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, marital status, citizenship, disability, and veteran status.

Competitive pay and phenomenal benefits. All positions are full-time and offer a salary and benefits that are commensurate with experience and designed to be at the leading edge of competitiveness for the social justice and non-profit sector. While we cannot match for-profit sector salaries, our intent is to not make finances a bar to people who want to do this work, on the theory that paying for top talent will result in greater delivery of impact towards our mission. For example, our benefits package includes three months of paid parental leave, a 401k plan in which we match employee contributions dollar for dollar up to 6% of salary, and full coverage for an excellent health care plan.

Open to applicants from all over the country. Location requirements are flexible. The only requirement is that your location be one that allows you to complete the demands of the position and mission. We currently have staff in DC, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, and northern and southern California.

Ample opportunities for personal & professional development. Candidates who do not meet all listed criteria should still apply, as our organizational structure focuses on providing mentorship and opportunities for professional growth.

To apply to any position above, send a cover letter and CV to jobs@protectdemocracy.org as a single PDF with the position you are applying for in the subject line followed by your last name.

Help Protect Democracy

History has shown that the best way to protect democracy is by standing united in its defense. Your contribution will help us to scale up our efforts to educate, advocate, organize, and litigate on behalf of the values we all hold dear.

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